The U.S. men’s national soccer team is three games deep into the 2026 World Cup, and Los Angeles is fully drinking the Kool-Aid. That includes the Lakers.
JJ Redick, in the middle of NBA Draft week chaos, rolled up to Los Angeles Stadium on his 42nd birthday to meet USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino. They swapped jerseys. It wasn’t a photo op with a handshake and a forced smile. Redick made time for it because the city’s sports ecosystem is buzzing right now, and the USMNT is the main event.
“It was very nice to meet him,” Pochettino said. “We had a very friendly moment and a nice conversation.”
The Lakers coach wasn’t the only local star to link up with Pochettino. He met Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh before the USMNT opened the tournament with a 4-1 win over Paraguay. That game set the tone. This one — a Wednesday meeting with Türkiye in Group D — is about keeping momentum without risking anything stupid.
Why Pochettino Is Resting His Best Guys
The USMNT already clinched a spot in the Round of 32 with a 2-0 win over Australia. That game wasn’t flashy. It was workmanlike. Cameron Burgess scored an own goal in the 11th minute, and defender Alex Freeman added a header before halftime. That was enough.
Now Pochettino is shuffling the lineup. Tyler Adams, Folarin Balogun, Chris Richards, and Antonee Robinson are all sitting out against Türkiye. They’ve got yellow cards. One more and they miss the knockout round. Pochettino isn’t gambling on that.
“We want to protect the squad,” he said, effectively. The team hasn’t confirmed exactly who starts, but expect a rotated XI that still has enough firepower to handle a Türkiye side that’s already eliminated.
The Atmosphere Is Real
Los Angeles Stadium has been loud all tournament. This game will be louder. The USMNT is chasing a perfect group stage — three wins, zero losses, the kind of statement that changes how the rest of the world talks about American soccer. Pochettino knows what that means. He’s been around long enough to understand how rare this window is.
Redick showing up with a Lakers jersey is a nice visual, but it’s also a signal. The Lakers don’t do anything without thinking about the optics. They’re attaching themselves to this team at a moment when the city is paying attention. That’s not nothing.
The USMNT kicks off against Türkiye at 7 p.m. local time. If they win, they head into the knockout round undefeated and with a rested core. If they stall, nobody panics. They’ve already got what they needed from this group. Everything from here is a bonus.
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